Construction for double-walled insulated containers



Sept. 1941- H. c. KORNEMANN ET AL 2,256,679

CONSTRUCTION FOR DOUBLE-WALLED INSULATED CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 1 9, 1959 PEEP l Will/11111111111111!III/1d- Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT a en.

CONSTRUCTION FOR DOUBLE-WALLED INSULATED CONTAINERS Henry C; Kornemann and George' H. Zenner, Kenmore, N. Y., assignors to The Linde Air Products Company, New York, N. Y., a corpora tion of Ohio Application August is, 1939, Serial No. 290,974

14 Claims. (01. 220-15) This invention relates to constructions for double-walled containers for liquefied gases, and particularly to constructions for double-walled con-' tainers having an intervening space that may be evacuated for insulating purposes, .whereby the containers are adapted for storing and/or transporting liquefied gases which have relatively low boiling points at atmospheric pressure, such as liquid air and liquid oxygen.

vThe invention has for its object generally the provision of an improved construction for supporting the inner vessels in a manner which avoids the concentration of stresses in the wall of the outer vessel and employs an arrangement of structural elements for supporting separately inner and outer vessels, especially cylindrical inner and outer vessels.

' I Anotherobject is to provide improved safety connections for double-walled containers with evacuated insulating spaces whereby damage from pressure developing in the evacuated space is positively avoided and such pressure as may develop released quickly to the atmosphere.

Still another object is to provide a construction which avoids the imposition of loads and resulting deflections on the wall of the outer .vessel due to the load in the inner vessel.

which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation andpartly in vertical section, showing a double-walled cylindrical container for a liquefied gas, such as liquid oxygen, constructed in accordance with the invention and adapted to have the insulating space evacuated;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a reduced scale showing a modified form of the invention:

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a detail in construction of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged verticalsectional view showing the construction of a safety relief device that may be employed when an evacuated insulating space is employed in the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to Fig. 1, l0 denotes generally an exterior frame composed of uprights, or leg members,

and connecting or cross members I056, from' which a wall ll of an inner vessel of the container is suspended, such vessel being adapted to .hold a liquefied gas that isto be placed or stored in the container either with or without the aid of a lining or basket (not shown). Outside of the vessel l I and disposed in rigid spaced relation with respect thereto is a second or outer vessel I! which is also supported from the frame [0, the manner of support being described below. The space intervening between the vessels thus provided is a'closed space adapted for insulating purposes and preferably has a, filling of a powdered insulating material. There being no communication with the outside except that which may be provided through a special connection in the wall of the outer vessel, the intervening space may readily be evacuated when desired.

A valve controlled filling connection i3 is provided leading from a suitable point without the outer vessel through the intervening space to a point within the inner vessel. Similarly, a valve controlled withdrawal connection I4 is provided leading from a point near the bottom of the vessel I I through the intervening space to a suit-- able external point and has a suitable coupling means l5 by which it may be connected to a suitable discharge receiving device at a place of use.

In accordance with the present invention, each pipe connection here employed is provided, at the point where it passes through the wall of the vessel l2, with sealing means of a character such that it transmits relatively little heat to the connection. An exemplary illustration of such means is shown in detail on the connection l4,

and consists of a conical wall It of a material having a relatively poor thermal conductivity and shaped to interpose a relatively long conducting path of relatively small cross-section so that a relatively large amount of thermal resistance to the passage of heat from the vessel H to the-connection I 4 is provided. The cone. I6 is welded or otherwise integrally attached both to the wall of vessel i2 and tothe connection I. Such connection is preferably so shaped and disposed that expansion, contraction, and

other stresses are accommodated without liability of incurring a break in what is intended to be a hermetically sealed wall. There may be also connected, in association with the connection II, or otherwise, one or more trycocks, such as shown at H.

Other standard accessories. such as a v the support for vessel ll.

l8 that is connected thereto; there being also preferably attached a, bursting diaphragm device I9, of any known construction. By such means quick relief is afforded in the event of any rise in pressure in the vessel ll.

In order that the space between the walls of the vessels II and I2 may be evacuated after assembly, or while in service, a valved connection 20 is attached to the outer vessel i2 and arranged to communicate with the space within. The outer end of connection 20 has a coupling 2| adapted for attachment to a suitable vacuum pulling means, indicated diagrammatically in the drawing as a pump. A suitable vacuum pulling means of this character may be, for example, a mechanical vacuum pump. To the connection 20 there is preferably attached a vacuum space relief device 22 which has a diaphragm adapted to be burst should any undesired pressure occur in the space between the walls of the vessels II and I2. Any suitable device of this latter character may be employed, for example, that shown in Fig. 4.

In the construction here shown, the inner vessel II is supported directly from the frame and not from the inner surface of the walls of vessel I2. To this end, the inner vessel H has a suspending means comprising a girth member 23 having a bracket or lu as shown at 23', at eachend, such means being made fast to the outer surface of vessel ll if desired. Attached to the lugs are suspending rods or cables 24, each of which extends generally upwardly and outwardly for example, to the cross-member Him. The rods 24 are preferably also of relatively low thermal conductivity and may be constructed of a mateform of elongated vessels with spherical ends, or have the shape of oblate ellipsoids.

To support the outer vessel l2 in place, additional supporting means are provided between the frame l0 and the outer wall of vessel 12, such means being structurally independent of Since sleeves 21 are here extensible, such means is independent thereof and comprises web members 29, interposed as shown, each having one edge bolted or welded to a leg member of frame I0 and an opposite edge in contact with or made fast to the outer wall of vessel l2. The web members, however, may be dispensed with where it is convenient or desirable to braze or weld the outer wall of vessel I2 directly to the leg members.

In order to convert the insulating space between the walls of containers II and I2 into one in which the heat transfer occurs substantially entirely by conduction of low value, the space is first filled with a finely divided or comminuted substantially dry insulating material, such as asbestos fiber, magnesium carbonate, or the like. and thereafter evacuated.

When such material has been properly disposed in the space between the walls of vessels II and I2, and distributed so as to avoid uneven packing or the formation of pockets, a vacuum of sumciently low value is pulled by suitable vacuum pulling means attached through the connection 20 until the thermal conductivity of the insulating space is of a desirable low value, for example, the conductivity provided when a vacuum of an order of 0.1 mm. of mercury is pulled; the employment of vacuums of this order for the purpose of increasing the efliciency of powder filled insulating spaces being taught and claimed in copending application, Serial No. 307,945, filed on December 7, 1939, in the name of L. I. Dana.

To permit ready access to the space between the vessels 1 l and I2 for the purpose of filling rial having such property, as well as a high tensile strength, for example, of stainless steel. Each such rod 24 is passed through the collar and is threaded at its upper end for engagement with one or more nuts 26 which are screwed on the end of the rod. The collar is preferably secured to the frame by brazing or welding and has a reduced lower end for the reception of an enveloping sleeve 21 which houses the rod 24; such sleeve includes an expansion joint 30 and is brazed at its lower end onto the wall of vessel l2 and at its upper end to collar 25.

In order that this supporting structure which passes through the wall of vessel [2 and has low thermal conductivity may be also hermetically sealed against thepassage of gas into or out of the space between vessels II and I2, a housing or can 28 is disposed over the nuts 26 and brazed-or welded onto the collar 25; the joint between collar and cap being shown as made by reducing the top of the collar sufliciently to fit snuglyinto' the cap, the joint being preferably closed by soldering or brazing.

. To afford a rigid support for a spherical vessel II in the above described manner at least three rods or cables are required. Four or more be employed when the nested vessels have the 76 and disposing desired comminuted or powdered insulating material therein, as here proposed, one or more openings are provided in the wall of vessel i2 which preferably have flanges to which a cover may be brazed or welded when it is desired to close or hermetically seal the same. Two such openings are shown for the vessel I2 in the drawing, one at 3| for the top and one at 32 for the bottom.

The vacuum space relief device shown generally at 22 may be of any suitable form but is preferably that disclosed in copending applica tion, Serial No. 307,564, filed December 5, 1939, in the name of H. C. Kornemann and shown in detail in Fig. 4, where it is seen to consist of a chamber 40 which also has an open side surrounded by a flange 4| on which a diaphragm 42 rests, the diaphragm being held in place by means of a retaining member 43 adapted to clamp the edge of the diaphragm and fit over the flange 4|. This chamber has openings 44 and 44 through which it is attached or inserted in the conduit 20. Thus the space within the chamber 40 is subject to a vacuum of the same degree that obtains in the space between the walls of vessels H and I2. A cutting member 45 is associated with the device in such a manner that it is' adapted to cut or pierce the diaphragm 42 in the event fthat it springs upward by reason of pressure accumulating in the space between the walls of vessels II and I2. Any convenient form of cutting or piercing member 45 may be here employed, for example, a cutting edge of an arm that is attached to the ring 43 over the diaphragm 42.

In operation, the container is filled by connecting the connection l3 to a source of supply of the liquefied gas, such as liquid oxygen, which is to be stored in vessel II. The flow of the liquefled gas into the container may be controlled by manipulating the valve in connection I3. In order to permit the liquid thus introduced to displace any gaseous filling that may be in the inner vessel, the evaporation connection I1 is opened to the atmosphere, or connected to a gasometer, in the event that it is desired to conserve the gas thus displaced. Liquid may be withdrawn from the container in the usual manner by opening the withdrawal connection I4. In the interim it may be desired to maintain the vessel II closed to the atmosphere. This, of course, is accomplished by closing the valve in the evaporation connection I'I.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, certain details of which are shown in Fig. 3, the inner and outer cylindrical vessels are shown at ,III and H2 respectively, and are of diameters such that their overall width extends beyond the supporting frame, shown generally at 0. This frame consists of upright leg members tied together at the sides by spaced horizontal channel members I011 that have cross members, "is spanningthe ends to unite them rigidly.

terpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described our invention, what we claim I as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

opening in said outer vessel extending from a yieldable portion of said frame for supporting said inner vessel, and extensible mains in communication with said opening and surrounding and completely enclosing said separate means and connecting said yieldable portion of said frame with said outer vessel and substantially sealing said separate means from the exterior; whereby any deflections in said yieldable portion "of said frame are elastically absorbed and the imposition of load stress on the wall of said outer vessel is avoided.

The frame structure provided is adapted particularly for the support of cylindrical vessels having spherical ends. Accordingly the outer vessel II2 may be placed in position and supported by web members extending from the leg members at the comers into engagement with the exterior wall of vessel H2. Such members are here shown at I29.

The support of the inner vessel III from the frame I I0 is provided in a manner similar to that its lower end to vessel 2; the rod I24 having nuts I26 in threaded engagement with its upper end and resting on collar I 25. Here, the collar is welded or brazed to the sleeve, the latter being secured rigidly by welding or otherwise, in a plate I25 that rests on thecl annel bars lily. This structure is protected by providing a covering ca'p I28 which is soft soldered or otherwise removably secured in place over the nuts I26. Here the expansion joint is shown at I30 and comprises a pair of flanges, sealed at their outer edges and introduced in sleeves I21 at suitable intermediate points.

The container of the present invention when thus equipped has relatively little heat conducted in any manner to the inner vessel and is not only capable of operating at high emciencies for long periods of time butals'o meets all the safety requirements for devices of this character and avoids substantially all possibility of damage arising from possible sudden rises in pressure in the outer vessel.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and difierent embodiments of g th'e invention could be made without departing -.?ifroia-jth scope thereof, it is intended that all l' imatter 'containedin the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be in- '2. In a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding a liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel to provide an intervening insulating space, exterior supporting means for said outer vessel, anchoring means associated with said external supporting means, extensible hermetically sealed sleeves extending from said outer vessel to said anchoring means, and supporting rods extending from said anchoring means through said sleeves into sup-' porting engagement with said inner vessel.

3. In a double-walled containerfor liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding a liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel to provide an intervening insulating space, a supporting frame disposed about said outer vessel, anchoring means associated with said supporting frame, hermetically sealed sleeves extending from said outer vessel to said anchoring means, rod means extending from said anchoring means through said sleeves in supporting engagement with said inner vessel, separate means for supporting said outer vessel from said frame, and pipe connections extending through the wall of said outer vessel hermetically sealed within and communicating with said inner vessel.

4. In a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding a liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel to provide an intervening insulating space, a supporting frame disposed about said outer vessel, anchoring means in said frame, means including rods extending from said inner vessel to said anchoring means for supporting said inner vessels, sleeved sealing means interposed between said anchoring means and said outer vessel, a pipe connection extending through an opening in the wall of said outer vessel and communicating with said inner vessel, and means interposed between said connection and the edge of said wall for hermetically sealing said opening, said latter sealing means being made of a material having relatively low thermal conductivity.

5. In a double-walled container for liquefied means extending from said inner vessel to said frame for supporting said inner vessel, means including sleeves surrounding said supporting means extending between said frame and said outer vessel and adapted for hermetically sealing the wall of said outer vessel, and, means introducing an expansion joint in each of said surrounding sleeves.

6. In a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding a liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel to provide an intervening insulating space, 2. Supporting frame disposed about said outer vessel, sealing means including sleeves extending from said outer vessel to said frame, rod means extending from said frame through said sleeves in supporting engagement with said inner vessel, other means associated with said frame for supporting said outer vessel, liquid filling and withdrawal connections for said inner vessel in said insulating space, and an expansion element interposed in said sealedsleeves, whereby the support of said outer vessel is sustained entirely by said other means.

choring means being constructed in a manner making a gas-tight seal against the impairment of any vacuum in said space.

10. In a double-walled container for iiquefiedj the wall of said outer vessel, other supporting 7. In a double-walled insulated container for frame to the wall of said outer vessel, supporting connections extending from said inner vessel through said sleeves and made fast in said anchoring means, liquid filling and withdrawal connections for said inner vessel passing to the exterior through said insulating space, an evaporating connection adapted to be closed to the atmosphere, and means for quickly relieving any pressure which may accumulate in said space.

8. In a double-walled insulated container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liqufied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and enclosing an insulating space about said inner vessel, a supporting frame disposed about said outer vessel, separate supporting means for saidinner vessel including rods attached to said frame and passing through the means extending between said frame and said inner vessel and passing through openings pro-' supporting means through said openings.

11. In :a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a supporting frame having at least a part incluing a base externally associated with said outer vessel, supporting means in said frame comprising members extending into engagement with the wall of said outer vessel, other supporting means extending between said frame and engaging with the wall of said inner vessel and passing through openings provided in the wall of said outer vessel, and sleeved means disposed about said other supporting means for hermetically sealing said openings.

12. In a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel thereby providing an intervening space, for insulating purposes, a supporting frame having at least a part including a base externally associated with said outer vessel, supporting members in said frame in rigid supporting engagement with the wall of said outer vessel, other supporting members including rods extending between said frame and said inner vessel and passing through openings provided in the wall of said outer vessel into engagement with the wall of said inneer vessel, and sleeve-like members about said rods for hermetically sealing said openings tions.

wall of said outer vessel, sleeved means disposed about said rods and extending between said frame and said outer vessel, liquid filling and withdrawal connections communicating with said inner vessel and disposed in said insulating space, an evaporating connection adapted to be closed to the atmosphere, a bursting diaphragm safety device connected to said evaporating connection, and a second bursting diaphragm safety device connected to said evacuating means.

9. In a double-walled vcontainer for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a supporting frame externally associated with said outer vessel, sleeved means sealed in the wall of said outer vesselfand provided with anchoring means made fast on said frame, supporting webs extending from said frame to the wall of said outer vessel, and supports extending from the wall of said inner vessel and passing through said sleeved means and made fast in said anchoring means; said sleeved means and an- 13. In a double-walled container'for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a supporting'frame having at least a part including a base externally associated with said outer vessel, anchoring means on said frame, sleeve-like members sealed in openings provided in the wall of said outer vessel and extending to said anchoring means, supporting members in said frame engaging the wall of said outer vessel, means including brackets supporting the outer wall of said inner vessel, other supportingmempers extending from said brackets through said openings and made fast in said anchoring means, and means on said sleeves and anchoring means for making a gas-tight seal therefor against the impairment of any vacuum in said space.

14. In a double-walled container for liquefied gases, the combination comprising an inner vessel for holding the liquefied gas, an outer vessel surrounding and spaced from said inner vessel thereby providing an intervening space for insulating purposes, a supporting frame disposed bers inciuding rods extending from said inner about said outer vessel, anchoring means on said vessel through said openings and made fast in frame, sleeves sealed in openings provided in the said anchoring means, and means for herwall of said outer vessel and extending to said metically sealing the upper ends of said sleeves. anchoring means, supporting members extend- 5 ing from said frame into engagement with the HENRY C. KORNEMANN. wall of said outer vessel, other supporting mem- GEORGE H. ZENNER. 

